Judge dismisses £2.3m estate claim

Hetty Baynes, 51, who was married to film director Ken Russell in the 1990s, was seeking financial provision as a "dependent" against the estate of the late Mary Spencer Watson.

She says Miss Spencer Watson treated her as her daughter throughout her life, and was supporting her financially at the time of her death in March 2006 aged 92.

But a judge in London dismissed her claim and also rejected a £1.6 million claim brought by Ms Baynes's mother, who is 90 and suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Mr Justice Lewison had heard that £2 million of the "substantial" estate was made up of Miss Spencer Watson's family home, Dunshay Manor in Purbeck, Dorset, with 15 acres of land and two cottages, which was left to the building preservation charity, the Landmark Trust.

The rest - just over £300,000 - was in investments, business assets and works of art.

After the hearing Ms Baynes said she was intending to appeal: "I don't agree it is settled yet."

During the recent hearing of the case, Thomas Dumont, counsel for the actress, of Battersea, south west London, told the judge: "In the months before her death, Mary was actively exploring methods of raising substantial capital to discharge Hetty's debts and buy her a house. That is the result that Hetty seeks in her claim."

Ms Baynes, who has a 15-year-old son, Rex, from her marriage to Mr Russell, was described as being in "extremely straitened circumstances".

Her claim was for £175,000 to discharge her debts, around £600,000 to buy a home, a £25,000 "cushion" to enable her to pursue her career and £7,500 for a car.